Once Upon a Black Friday
by ExPlOdInG dOnKeY cUrSe
Summary: Sadie is out buying Christmas gifts when she runs into a certain panda bear stabbing maniac. WARNING! SPOILERS FOR HoH! I'm sorry if any one is OOC. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

_**Sadie POV**_

I pulled out a wad of folded up bills and shifted through them to find the right amount to pay the cashier with. Selecting a twenty, I handed the bill to the cashier, who winked in a way that I assumed was supposed to come across as attractive. I simply raised my eyebrows as he handed me my change and pushed my bag across the counter. I swiftly took my chance to leave before he had an opportunity to say anything.

Once out onto the bustling streets of Brooklyn I looked into the Toys-R-Us bag, smiling to myself. I'd found the perfect gift after hours of scouring the shelves of stores.

A woman jostled past me balancing an assortment of bags on her arms.

"Crazed Americans!" I grumbled.

That's what I get for shopping on Black Friday, I guess. Really, I've been lucky to make it this long without being stampeded by packs of demented parents racing to the nearest store, shopping lists gripped in gloved hands. I sighed and stepped into the nearest ally for some peace and quiet.

Glancing once again into the bag I grinned. Shelby was going to love it. Absolutely love it! I'd found it nestled on one of the back shelves of the toy store just waiting for me to discover it [well actually I'd had to wrestle one hysterical father for it but, it was worth it… and it's not like anything got _too_ violent…].

The 'it' I keep referring so fondly to is a small unicorn with a tan colored yarn body and a rainbow colored tail and mane. Shelby's had a certain obsession with unicorns lately, especially rainbow colored ones. So this stuffed toy was the perfect Christmas gift for her.

I let the straps of the bag slide down to my elbow as I kneeled down on the ground to get my skateboard out of my bag, replacing it with the Toys-R-Us bag. Once my ear buds were in my ears with volume cranked all the way up and a Green Day song blaring through the speakers, I was off like a kyte.

* * *

Turing corners and zooming down ramps with the wind ruffling my hair was exhilarating… but not all that safe. Before I knew what was happening I felt my body ram into someone else, sending us both to the ground. My backpack nearly flew off my shoulders as I rolled onto the sidewalk landing next to whomever I had collided with but on top of my skateboard.

I groaned, pushing myself up on my elbows and rolling off of my skateboard.

"Watch where you're going, you oaf!" I mutter, finally looking over at the person I'd rammed into.

I was met with a slender and pale boy with shaggy blonde hair with angry cold eyes staring back at me.

"No! You can watch where _you're_ going!" he snapped, standing up and dusting off his… toga?

I looked closer. He _was _wearing a toga! He straightened his purple shirt and continued to dust off his toga.

I raised my hands in surrender, not really in the mood for a fight. "Sorry! Lighten up, would you?"

He shot me a rude look so I tried again. "Why are you wearing a toga? And what's 'S.P.Q.R' mean?"

He froze and looked closely at me. "Y-You can see what I'm wearing?" his voice ringing with shock.

"Um, yes. Why wouldn't I be able to see… your very manly toga?" I tried to hold back my snickers.

He crossed his arms. "I'll have you know _this_ is a praetor's official dress!"

"Um, yes, okay. More words I don't understand."

He squints his eyes, scanning me. "Are you," He turns up his nose, and I can tell he doesn't like what he's about to say, "A Greek?" his hand creeping towards his belt. I notice for the first time that two teddy bears are tied to his belt next to a sheathed knife.

I freeze, remembering what Carter was talking about a while ago. Some Greek kid he met, Percy Jackson.

"No…" I trail off as if I have no idea what he's talking about. "Why would I be a Greek? I'm British, well British-American really."

He visibly relaxes, his hand shifting away from his belt. "That's what I thought; you don't show any of the signs…" he's muttering to himself now. "But how can you see what I'm wearing?"

I look around. None of the mortals seemed to be bothered by this pale kid strutting around wearing a toga with defenseless teddy bears strapped to his hip.

"Look, I have absolutely no idea," I lie. "Maybe I'm just hallucinating you. It is Black Friday after all, anything could happen…" I trail off mysteriously.

He steps towards me and my eyes shift back to the stuffed animals dangling from his belt. I clutch my backpack straps tightly, ready to defend my unicorn.

"That's odd. You obviously not roman either, you lack discipline." He mutters, more to himself.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

He ignores me and continues muttering to himself. I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket and the staff and wand I am carrying in my backpack begin to feel like lead weights. I take a cautious step away from the deranged boy in front of me.

My feet keep moving backwards as I scoop up my skateboard, hoping to slip away while he is absorbed with his own conversation.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going?" he yells.

"Yeah, look. I think I'm just going to head home now, it's uh, past my curfew."

_Bloody hell, Sadie! You used to be a much better liar than this!_

Glancing around, he asks, "You have a curfew set for before 5:00?"

I'm about to answer when a figure stumbles out of the alley I had so recently come hurtling out of.

"Octavian!" the figure yells.

The figure lumbers onto the sidewalk and I see that the figure is indeed a tall black haired boy with a curious ring of red around his mouth. I notice a pouch of red Kool-Aid clutched in one of his hands.

"Dakota! What are you doing out here in Brooklyn? You should've stayed back at camp!"

"I- t-they told me to come get you! It's those stupid dwarves again! They're everywhere!" he cries clapping his hands on Octavian's shoulders.

Octavian glances at me and back to Dakota.

"I am in the middle of something…" he trails off, gesturing at me.

The boy, Dakota, looks at me, apparently noticing me for the first time. He cocks his head to one side. "You're hot." He states, as if it's common knowledge.

Octavian looks startled but before he can say anything Dakota interjects. "Is she a new demigod? Why don't you just bring her with us?"

Octavian snarls and grabs Dakotas arm yanking him closer. "I don't know yet, fool!"

I know is should just leave. That would be the smart thing to do. But then again I don't always do the smart thing.

"Camp? Like a summer camp, or a battle camp? And what _dwarves_?" I question as I step closer to the two boys.

They share a look, Octavian seeming to say _now look what you've done!_

"Uhhh…" Dakota starts to say.

"Fine, I'll come with you." I state.

"What!" Octavian sputters.

"I said, I'll come with you. How do you know I'm not, "I use air quotes. "A 'demigod'?" I ask. With every word I know I'm digging myself even deeper into whatever mess I'm already in.

The two exchange a look and Octavian nods, I can tell some unspoken message has passed in between the two. They don't trust me. If these boys are romans, and they are fighting the Greeks, as I've heard Amos disusing with some members of the House of Life, then they probably suspect me as a Greek spy. I know I'm probably in danger, serious danger, but I can't help the curiosity that's tearing at the decision making part of my brain.

"Fine, you may come with us …."

And with that I'm walking off with these two romans, listening to a brief and probably extremely untrue explanation of who they are and what they are doing.

I take out my phone and text Carter:

**Met some guys, think they r romans, headed to their battle camp now. This is our chance to find out whats going on with the greeks and romans- Don't try and find me-**

I put my phone on silence and sling my skateboard under my arm and try to decide how long I can keep up this charade.

Sadly, Shelby's present would have to wait to get wrapped up.

* * *

_**Oh Sadie, sometimes you really don't make the best decisions. Sorry again if anyone is ooc!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Sadie Pov**

We took a cab out of the city and out into the country side. Octavian had the cabbie stop at an old decrepit looking gas station and shoved a wad of bills into the man's waiting hand. The cabbie quirked a shaggy eyebrow at the neatly folded wad of new looking bills but only shruged his shoulders and drove off. I turn to Octavian and Dakota only to find that they are already walking off into the woods that nearly surround the gas station.

"Hey! Wait up, guys!" I yell jogging after the two boys, my backpack bouncing on my back. I am again reminded of the magical paraphernalia concealed in my backpack. "Guys I said wait!"

Octavian turns around to say, "You need to keep up, we've got to make it back to camp before night fall, we're close but we need to hurry up."

"Okay, okay." I saw holding up my hands in defense. "It's just… I really, really have to pee. I'll be able to walk much faster if I just go to the bathroom real quick…"

Octavian rubs his temple. "Alright, fine. Just go!" he yells, waving at the woods.

I smile gratifyingly and jog off into the woods. I find a spot hidden behind a thick layer of trees and bushes. I drop my pack on the ground and squat next to it, rummaging around and pulling out every magical thing in my pack.

I pull out my wand, staff, magician's kit, and…. Oh bloody hell. I curse.

_I can't believe it! I don't know how I forgot that I was carrying around my amulet!_

Carter and I we hot on the tail of Setne and… to even have any hope of catching him, Carter and I had reverted back to using the power of Horus and Isis. I wasn't hosting Isis, thank the gods, but I might as well be with all the power contained in that amulet. I looked around. We were apparently close to camp. I bit my lip and decided I had no other choice but to hide the amulet here.

I dumped the contents of my magician's kit out onto the ground, out of the box I had been using to carry everything in, and stuffed the amulet inside and buried it in the ground next to the tree. I marked the trunk of the tree with a simple "K" and went about opening a door into the duat, like Carter had taught me.

When I was done I was absolutely exhausted but I managed to run back to where Octavian and Dakota were waiting.

"Sorry I took so long, I-"

"I really, do not care!" Octavian scoffed, "let's just get going!"

* * *

By the time we reached their camp the sun was setting and I was absolutely drained of energy. I looked around, completely awed by what I saw. Even though the camp appeared to be temporary the tents looked comfortable, strong. There were rows upon rows of tents and tons of kids of all ages milling about. The entire camp was surrounded by a wooden wall, complete with a gate and watch towers.

"We romans are master engineers." Dakota smirked, taking a swig out of his cool aid pouch.

"This way." Octavian commanded leading me through the gates and into the very heart of the roman battle camp. A bunch of the kids sent wary looks towards Octavian and I and some even glared. Only a few seemed to be genuinely pleased with Octavian's presence. So apparently Octavian wasn't well liked even though he clearly held a leading position here.

He led Dakota and I into a huge tent where there was a gathering of other kids, all wearing the same purple S.P.Q.R. t-shirts. All had tattoos on their forearms as well.

"Everyone listen up. I have returned from the city, what is this I hear of those evil dwarves again?"

The kids swarmed Octavian yelling complaints. I was still unnoticed, and I hung back hoping to stay that way.

A tall boy with shaggy brown hair stepped forward and all of the other kids quieted down. "This never would've happened if Reyna was here!" he yelled crossing his arms

The kids echoed their agreement, and Octavian seemed flustered.

"As a matter of fact, this never would've happened with Jason either! You've been telling us all how he's turned his back on us, but the Jason I know would _never _do that. _I_ think that you've been feeding us lies!"

Octavian's face hardened as the other kids glared at him. "SILENCE! All of you! Jason Grace is a traitor, he's with the Greeks! Reyna is off doing Gods know what! We don't need either of them! This is all the doing of the Greeks, turning us against each other and distracting us from the real problem. The real enemy is the Greeks, not each other!"

Most of the kid's quieted down, seemingly convinced by Octavian, but the Shaggy haired boy remained angry.

"Then what about Percy?" my ears perked up. Could this be the Percy Carter was talking about? "He's a Greek and he never seemed to me like the evil, plotting Greek you made him out to be!"

Octavian's face appeared grim, "well I assume that is because we never really knew Percy Jackson. _You _never knew him, Nathan."

His tone made it clear that the conversation was over but Nathan still appeared unconvinced. A short blonde girl walked up to Nathan and they shared a knowing look. They apparently both felt the same way about whatever was going on. Her eyes shot up suddenly as if she felt something was wrong.

Her green eyes landed directly on me. "Who are you?" she asked mistrustfully. "Who is she?" she demanded to Octavian.

He turned as if he had just remembered my presence.

"Oh,I- uh…"

I stepped forward. "I'm Sadie Kane," I offered, nodding my head.

"She's a new demigod?" someone questioned.

"She doesn't look very-"

"Look, I'm not sure if she's a demigod yet."

"What!" the girl bellowed. "How could you not be sure? Shouldn't she have come straight from Lupa!"

"We found her in the city," Dakota slurred.

"She's either, one of us or one of _them_." Octavian finished. "She can see everything after all. What else could that mean?"

"Well, the girl started. "I know one sure fire way to find out."

* * *

**Okay so I wasn't going to continue this story but I got several requests to do so… so I figured why not!**


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